Eleven Brickshttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com
Coverage of the Indy Eleven NASL teamTue, 26 Sep 2017 09:43:43 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngEleven Brickshttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com
Offseason questions #1: Will Regan be back?https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/q1-regan/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/q1-regan/#respondMon, 02 Nov 2015 21:20:41 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=466Continue reading →]]>My blogging has been rare this year, but the end of the season gives me a good chance to put down a few thoughts. As with last year, 2015 has provided Indy Eleven fans with ups and downs. But maybe even more than last year, we have a feast of intriguing questions facing us in the offseason. I’d like to take a look at a few of those, starting with the obvious one: will Tim Regan be able to shed the “Interim” from his title, or will we have a new head coach for April 2016?

After a dismal start to the season, Juergen Sommer was fired on June 2. That followed a run of one win in nine games, including a DLLLD run in the league and the extremely disappointing 2-0 home loss to Louisville City FC in the US Open Cup. Tim Regan was promoted from his assistant coach job to be interim head coach, and had immediate success with two wins to close out the spring season.

Indy’s fall season was all up to Regan, and the results were a mixed bag. Indy took 20 points from 20 games — they averaged a draw. Five home wins left the fans with a favorable impression, but four draws and six losses on the road left the Eleven well off the playoff pace. The fall table closed with Indy in 9th, behind Tampa Bay on goal difference. The table was tight. Converting one loss to a win would have advanced Indy into 7th place… but switching a single draw to a loss would have dropped the team to last place. The 7-1 loss to Fort Lauderdale was easily the lowlight of the season, while the 3-1 home win over playoff-bound Minnesota might be the best game of the season.

Anecdotally, I’ll say that I saw things from Regan that I’d want from a head coach. Indy generally were more organized and strategic under his eye. The team was able to make tactical shifts during games, particularly at halftime, that seemed to elude Sommer. And Regan’s sometimes fiery sideline presence was a marked contrast to Sommer’s stoic demeanor. The team still seemed prone to overly aggressive defensive play, and hasn’t entirely given up its tendency to lose focus. For the limited amount that a fan can judge these things, I’d say that Regan did reasonably well, but it’s harder to judge whether the improvements were enough to keep his job.

Of course, the head coach only bears so much responsibility for the team’s performance, particularly when he didn’t choose the squad. Indy added four players under Regan’s tenure — Dane Richards, Zach Steinberger, Marvin Ceballos, and Daniel Cuevas — who generally provided bright spots for the team. Indy also dealt with a significant injury list. Prior to the last home game, Peter Wilt summed it up succinctly:

Hmmm… @IndyEleven has 11 of our 22 field players on the injured list. 5 listed as "out", 3 as "limited" and 3 injured, but available.

That has an impact too, although the two late home wins certainly show that the team wasn’t prohibitively crippled.

So the fall season had ups and downs, and how you judge it depends on your outlook. Glass half-full or half-empty? And how does it reflect on Regan? What would I do? Hoo boy, it’s a tough call. I liked a lot of what I saw from Regan, and the team was definitely better under his watch than before. He’s a coach with a lot of potential… but that might not be enough. The painful 2-2-7 run in August and September (LLLWDLLWLLD) knocked Indy out of realistic contention in the league; that might be the deciding factor. On balance, I wouldn’t feel great about it, but I would be looking for a new, permanent head coach for 2016.

Of course, my opinion doesn’t mean a lot. Ersal Ozdemir and Peter Wilt are the ones to make the decision. They know what their expectations were, and they have access to Regan, the players, the locker room, and to potential new coaches. I don’t think they have an easy choice. Another factor is that Sommer was positioned as both head coach and director of player personnel. I think Wilt is very involved as executive, but my guess is that he will want someone with more experience and a higher profile to play a major role in player recruitment and loan discussions. (And Wilt is a busy man.) If Wilt and Ozdemir could keep Regan and develop him, I think they would. But the NASL is not a developmental league, and I think the Eleven are a team that wants to compete for the title immediately. And I think that means they’ll bring in a new head coach for 2016.

I’m not at all confident in that assessment; it wouldn’t shock me to see the call go the other way. And I wouldn’t complain about that. I’m hopeful that we’ll know the answer one way or another by the end of November, perhaps before or shortly after the Soccer Bowl. But I keep thinking back to song lyrics that Wilt tweeted before the final game of the season:

Gotta be cruel to be kind…..in the right measure….it's a very good sign…

Is that tweet a secret signal? Unlikely. Even so, my gut says that a new person will be on the sidelines for Indy in 2016. It would be a bit cruel to Regan, to be sure, but it still might be the kindest path forward for the Eleven.

]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/q1-regan/feed/0alameintwoTim ReganQuick Updateshttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/quick-updates/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/quick-updates/#respondTue, 23 Dec 2014 19:40:28 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=463Continue reading →]]>As we wind down for the holiday break, there were a few developments worth reporting on. Just a few tidbits below.

I had great feedback on the big “who’s back for 2015” post. In particular I had a good discussion with @jdborneman on Twitter about who we will or won’t miss next year. He represented an opinion that I’ve seen elsewhere — that we’ll miss Jhulliam and Jermaine Johnson more than their minutes would represent. While they did great work for the team, I’m not as convinced. But what we definitely agree on is that we miss having the kinds of advanced stats that more developed leagues supply. Minutes, assists, goals, and cards are a poor substitute for real advanced stats like those supplied by Optasports and others.

Until then, though, we’ll make do with what we have. And based on that it’s good to know that we’ve signed two of the most important “still negotiating” players we had:

Yep, we’ll have Victor Pineda and Marco Franco back for 2015. That’s great news as they were two of the most utilized players, especially in the fall; Pineda played virtually every minute from the middle of August on, and Franco the same starting with week 13 vs Carolina. Franco formed the final piece in the back line that finished the season so well, and Pineda was a key stabilizing element in the midfield over that last piece of the season. Having them back means that the Eleven will look similar to the team we saw at the end of the year; Dylan Mares is the biggest contributor we don’t know about yet.

There was also a mention from @NASLInsider about comments from Juergen Sommer regarding newly-signed players that haven’t been announced yet. I’m sure the club is waiting until after the holidays to make an announcement — timing it to help with season ticket sales. (Smart play as always from the front office.) We’ll be eagerly waiting on the news.

Until then, we’ll have to pass the time with the Spring Season schedule that was announced last week. The Eleven will play every other team once in a schedule that lasts from April 4 through June 13, starting with the first game at Atlanta, and followed by the first home game on April 11 against the New York Cosmos. It’s all available on the Eleven site, or you can check out the calendar page on this site, including subscription links to the Google calendar I’ve set up. I’ll keep that updated through the season, including scores and summaries; I’ll add preseason matches when they’re scheduled, too. You’ll see the upcoming matches listed in the sidebar as well.

One hundred and nine days until we return to The Mike for the Cosmos match. I’ll be there — in section 114 this year, just a bit closer to the BYB. With winter in front of us, it’s good to dream of spring! Have a great Christmas!

]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/quick-updates/feed/0alameintwoIndy Eleven: 2015 Team Takes Shapehttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/2015-team/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/2015-team/#commentsWed, 10 Dec 2014 01:55:26 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=447Continue reading →]]>So! I’m still catching my breath from the Eleven’s inaugural season. It’s funny how these things play out; I’m hoping to say more about the season down the road. But even though I haven’t been updating, the Eleven are still on my mind, and last week featured news that I really want to write about.

Ten 2014 players have departed. Seven players with team contracts were released: Mike Ambersley, Chris Estridge, Jermaine Johnson, Andrew Stone, Jhulliam, Jon Dawson and Nathan Sprenkel. Three players who came on loan have returned to their clubs: Blake Smith, Ben Spencer, and Charlie Rugg.

Seven players are still in negotiations with the club. Fejiro Okiomah, A. J. Corrado, Dylan Mares, Sergio Peña, and Corby Moore were under contract for 2014, while Victor Pineda and Marco Franco were loanees who have been released by the Chicago Fire and are in negotiations to return to the Eleven.

Finally, one new player has been signed: midfielder Dragan Stojkov, who comes to Indy from LA Galaxy II, where he played with Charlie Rugg.

That’s a lot of change, but perhaps not more than I’d expect. The Eleven are a new team and frankly didn’t have a huge amount of on-field success last year, so roster changes are par for the course. And the mix of players — mostly either quite young or a bit older — also leads to changes from year to year.

But what does it mean for the Indy Eleven? To look into that, I looked at last season’s playing time. Let’s see where that stacks up, relative to players’ status.

Note: I don’t have good numbers for stoppage time, so this chart doesn’t take that into account. +/?/- = Signed/Negotiating/Released.

There are a few standout names at interesting places on the list, which I’ll get to in a bit. But in general, it’s mostly easy to see where the list of signed vs. unsigned players comes from. The signed players represent 44.5% of last year’s minutes — pretty close to half. Another 25.7% are still in negotiation (though of course we don’t know how that will play out). The departing players (including those who left earlier in the season) make up 29.8% of the total.

Interesting numbers — but a bit misleading, too. More than just bulk minutes played, it matters who played when. Who was playing at the end of the season? More specifically, who played when the Eleven were winning? The graphic that follows shows how many minutes each player played in each game for last season.

Minutes per game for Indy Eleven players from 2014.

Note: Numbers are adjusted for the sake of graph clarity. As before, I don’t have good stoppage time numbers, so all games are normalized to 90′. That affects every game, but in particular the USOC match against Columbus was a 120′ game. I also cancelled out red cards, as they made the graph harder to read. So this graph presents as if every game had 11 players for 90 minutes.

For me, the last five games are the period to watch. That’s when Indy went on a D-W-W-W-D run, starting with the gutsy 0-0 draw with New York. It was maybe the most stable period for the Indy roster, and it saw the emergence of key players.

Well, where does that leave the team? Here’s how things will change for 2015.

Attack

The front line will be completely reworked next year. Maybe that’s not completely surprising; Indy took fewer shots than anyone else in 2014, and their goals scored ranked 7th of the ten teams. Still, it’s a bit surprising to see such wholesale change. The biggest loss: Mike Ambersley. Always an active, energetic player; #2 player on the team in terms of minutes; also had a big role through the team’s purple patch at the end of the season. He was a key player in 2014, and the fans will be sorry to see him go.

Ambersley wasn’t the only loss. Charlie Rugg was always due to return to LA after his loan, but he featured in the team’s resurgence in form at the end of the year. A third major loss is Jhulliam, who also had a big role in his short eight games with the club. Jermaine Johnson is gone as well; he did a great job in the middle of the fall season before diminishing late. And while he wasn’t available much in the fall season, Ben Spencer was another exciting talent who won’t be back with the club. When you consider that we also let Pedro Mendes go earlier in the year, it’s clear that our front line will be totally new for 2015.

I don’t know anything about why these guys aren’t coming back, but it’s worth remembering that contract decisions aren’t about whether a player is good — they’re about whether players are good value and fit the coach’s vision for the team. The players’ wishes come into it, too. And of course the loanees (Spencer and Rugg) were obligated to return to their parent clubs. Still, it’s a lot of change for the front line. Who’s going to play in the attack? Whoever it is, it’ll be a new set of names next year.

Midfield

Midfield is a bit of a mixed bag, as far as players leaving and staying. Let’s look at the central midfield first.

To be honest, I was a bit surprised (pleasantly so) to see Kléberson has been re-signed. He was definitely our marquee player, and he did good work when available. His set-pieces were unmatched in the league. But he was injured for much of the fall season, and I can only guess he’s one of the most expensive players on the team. Still, it’s great to have him. Brad Ring is another good guy to see coming back. He moved around the field quite a bit, but perhaps he did his best work as a holding midfielder. He was lost for the season in San Antonio in August, thanks to Julius James’ tackle that broke his right foot. Here’s hoping Ring comes back healthy and can supply his energy and versatility next year.

There are still big question marks in the engine room, however, starting with the duo of Dylan Mares and Sergio Peña. Mares and Peña were both regulars in the central midfield through the last part of the season, and both are in ‘negotiating’ status for 2015. Corby Moore is another on that list, though Moore found playing time difficult to come by in the fall. The uncertainty here is balanced by the addition ofDragan Stojkov, who will add to the central-mid workforce. So the middle of the pitch is in a state of transition, but at least Kléberson and Ring will provide some continuity.

On the wings, it’s good to see that Don Smart has returned. In section 108 of The Mike, we always wanted to see more of Don, and he definitely got more starts late in the season. He’ll be back, contributing speed and width to the attack. Blake Smith though will be a loss, as he’s returning to Montreal at the end of his loan. Of the departing players, only Ambersley had more playing time. Victor Pineda had a big role on the wing in the fall season, and he’s one of the two loan players who the Eleven are trying to re-sign. Of the players still in negotiation, Pineda had the most minutes in 2014. Kyle Hyland and A. J. Corrado also did work on the wings (as well as in defense); Hyland is re-signed while Corrado (who saw little playing time in the fall) is still on the ‘negotiating’ list.

Defense

Interestingly, the defense — not really Indy’s strong suit — is also the area with the most continuity. Maybe that’s because the last five games were successful thanks largely to increased defensive effectiveness. The lineup of Frías-Miller-Norales-Franco was probably the best-organized we saw all year, and led to the eye-opening shutouts of the two best teams in the league.

Fortunately, Jamie Frías, Cory Miller, and Erick Norales are all signed for next year, as is Kyle Hyland. (Frías is interesting — I thought he was here on loan from Guadalajara? But the team reports that he’s signed for 2015.) Marco Franco is the only back-line question. He came to Indy on loan from the Chicago Fire, but the Eleven report he’s not been re-signed by Chicago and that he’s in negotiations with us. If he can sign, that’d be good news.

We had several other defensive lineups over the season. Significant time came from players such as Fejiro Okiomah and Corrado (both negotiating), and Chris Estridge and Andrew Stone (both departed). Okiomah was the player with the most playing time from that group, playing across the defense as Sommer tried to figure out the winning lineup. But the priorities are fairly clear, and re-creating that lineup from the last five games seems nearly complete. Fingers are crossed that Franco can come back — and that the Eleven can stabilize that wobbly back line.

And for the keepers? Well, Kristian Nicht will be back — how could it be otherwise? If there’s a face of the club, it’s Kristian, and he’s the only Eleven player that played every minute of the 2014 season. Both backup keepers — Jon Dawson and Nathan Sprenkel — have departed, so the Eleven will have to sign cover here. The only question is whether the new backups can pry any playing time out of Nicht’s XXL gloves.

2015 Outlook

When Sommer took the manager’s job, about a year ago, he said his priority was to build from the back. The preseason didn’t play out that way, but in this offseason I think we can see that philosophy finally coming through. Wilt has locked up 80% (or more, counting Hyland) of that season-end back five, as well as the midfielders who played most often in the holding role. We’ll start out with a defense that looks quite similar to what we saw — and enjoyed — in September and October. If Franco isn’t re-signed, the biggest signing to look for is a right back.

We’ll have much bigger questions going forward. At this point, none of our striker options are with the team, and the attacking portions of the midfield have a lot of uncertainty too. Kléberson, Ring, and Smart at least provide some continuity, and if the team is able to sign one or more of Pineda, Mares, and Peña, that will add a bit more stability.

With the MLS season finally finished, I would expect we’ll start to see some new player signings over the next few months. I don’t think it’ll tell the whole picture — I suspect the Eleven will continue to use loans as a way to get talent in the team, and those will come about more in the spring. But as winter descends on Indy, it’ll be exciting to see the 2015 direction take more shape. I can’t wait!

]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/2015-team/feed/1alameintwoIndy Eleven 2014 Minutes (preview)Minutes per game for Indy Eleven players from 2014.I Believehttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/i-believe/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/i-believe/#respondTue, 01 Jul 2014 17:16:45 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=428Continue reading →]]>I haven’t been posting much, and definitely haven’t had much to say about the World Cup. There’s no shortage of words written about it, and I haven’t felt a need to add to the din. But with the US about to take on Belgium this afternoon in what might well be the most-watched US game ever (depending on whether it can pass the US-Portugal match from a couple weeks back), it feels good to put down a few thoughts about the tournament, our team, and our fans.

World Cup 2014

This might be the best World Cup any of us watch in our lifetime. Of course, a lot depends on how the upcoming matches go. In particular, if we end up with a lot of European teams in the quarterfinals — if Belgium and/or Switzerland join Germany, France, and the Netherlands — the games could get more and more cagey, with dour play and listless extra time.

But! So far, the games have been stellar. There have been surprising comebacks, underdog victories, tenacious defense, surprising stars, and lots of goals. Wonderful, wonderfulgoals. There are exceptions, of course, but it’s the swashbuckling, attacking teams that have done well, and the defensive teams that have fallen back. It’s been exciting and fun to watch, and we’ve been able to enjoy a beautiful tournament.

Let’s enjoy it while we have it — we may never see its like again.

The US Fans

I’m kind of bored with the question we hear with every world cup: Is this when soccer “turns the corner” in the US? Truth is, there are always going to be fans who love the game, fans who hate it, and fans who pay attention when big things happen. The numbers will shift between the groups, but there will never be an answer for the meaningless question of whether soccer has “made it” in the US.

What we have, though, is a level of public attention for the game that we’ve never had before. We’ve already seen that in MLS in Seattle and Portland and Kansas City; we’ve seen it in the NASL with San Antonio and New York and Indianapolis. We’re seeing it with the NBC Sports coverage of English soccer, with virtually every game available for viewing — some on major network stations. And we’re certainly seeing it with the strong ratings for this World Cup.

I’m sure any soccer fan will have anecdotes that reflect this; our friends and coworkers know who we are, and they seek us out when they want to get involved. For me, the touchstone was US vs Portugal. I went to see it at my local pub (Union Jack), which was packed to the rafters inside, and held a large party outside with hundreds of fans watching and drinking. I got hugs from strangers and showered with beer after the US goals; it was electric and fans were singing for most of the match. But maybe the most telling scene was at the end of the game, after the US gave up that late equalizer. The sag and sadness in the crowd was palpable, and the fans walked away in quiet groups. As I walked home in my US jersey, a driver went past and yelled “F*** PORTUGAL” out the window.

As soccer fans, that’s not at all surprising to us; we feel that after several games every year. (Indy Eleven fans have grown all too familiar with it.) But you know what’s surprising? Nobody was there just for the good time, or just to hang out. It was hundreds of fans at this pub (and replicated at scores of venues across the city, state and country) filled with fans who cared about the game. Cared deeply.

That nucleus of diehard fans appears to be huge and growing. But it almost doesn’t matter, because that nucleus is here, and it’s not going away. Has soccer turned the corner? I don’t really know what that means. What I do know is that soccer is now firmly rooted in the US, and it’s not going away. I started seriously following soccer in the late 90s; it was a lonely experience — illustrated best in 2002 by setting the alarm clock for 2AM to watch matches from Japan or Korea.

No longer. Soccer fans have a home in the US now.

The US Team

When I was asked about the chances of the US men’s team — both after the draw and as the tournament approached, my answer was consistent: We drew a very difficult group, and we would be lucky to advance. It was certainly possible that we could play well and still go out; we could find honor in such a defeat.

But we were not eliminated.

Without breaking down the matches, it’s fair to say that they broke about as well as a sane US fan would imagine: a win over Ghana, followed by a draw with Portugal, and a meaningless loss to Germany at the end of the group. But the US got there with style and verve; and their four points could easily been six if they’d only held out another thirty seconds against Ronaldo. It might have been interesting to see what a game against Germany would have looked like had the US required a win — but as it was, the smart tactical play was to first make sure we kept the score low, and we accomplished exactly that.

It’s good to remember that the Group of Death isn’t just something the US were burdened with — it’s something the US, in part, caused. The US is not a dominant team, capable of imposing its will on any opponent. But what they are is almost worse: an unpredictable team with determination, skill, size, and lots and lots of energy. The US can easily give up soft, early goals; commit grievous mistakes, make naive choices, and waste golden opportunities. But they can also play tenacious defense, find surprising ways to score, and outwork almost any opponent. And they play in front of a truly world-class goalkeeper. If your team is facing the US, you’ll feel like you certainly could win comfortably — but until you have a big lead with time running out, you’ll be quite nervous about what might happen.

I have no idea what will happen against Belgium tonight. The team could easily get behind early, chase the game too hard, and give up a truckload of goals. It would certainly be no shame to lose to a skilled and dangerous Belgium team.

And yet. The US canwin this game. The US matches up reasonably well against Belgium, especially in comparison to the winners of a few other groups. The very unpredictable nature of the US team can work to their advantage if the game stays close and doubt begins to creep into the Belgian players. “Are we next?” they might wonder.

It’s been said a lot, but you know what? I believe.

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyWVia7hzGs%5D]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/i-believe/feed/0alameintwoWorld Cup 2014John Brooks scores the winner against Ghana.2014 USOC Round 3: NASL enters; Indy Eleven host Daytonhttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/usoc-md-3-preview/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/usoc-md-3-preview/#respondWed, 28 May 2014 13:49:47 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=417Continue reading →]]>Today’s the day for the third round matches in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. (Well, except for Rochester and Reading, who played last night to a 2-1 extra time win for the Rhinos.) This year, Round 3 is when NASL teams join in on the fun, so we’ll see all eight US-based teams in action tonight.

Last year, the NASL teams entered in the second round; four teams won and two lost. So there’s no guarantee that the higher league teams will win. Teams are competing for the right to move on to Round 4, which is when MLS teams enter the tournament. So we’ll see who gets to bid for an upset.

Just a reminder: USOC matchups are settled in a single match — no home-and-home — and if tied after regulation, they’ll go to extra time (two 15-minute periods, no “golden goal”) followed by a penalty shootout if necessary.

Indy Eleven vs Dayton Dutch Lions

Indy have their first USOC match tonight at Carroll Stadium against the Dayton Dutch Lions of USL Pro. Dayton have an affiliate relationship with both FC Twente of the Eredivisie and the Columbus Crew of MLS, so they’re well supplied with prospective talent.

I don’t have much to add to the preview beyond what I’ve said before and what 11th Heaven posted last night. The Dutch Lions haven’t had a great season so far. They’re currently 11th in the table (out of 14 teams) and are now 2-2-5 with a -10 goal differential; they haven’t won since April 19 and are 0-1-4 in their last 5 games. Most recently they lost 2-1 to Sacramento in California. But they’ll be encouraged by Indy’s form, and the Eleven can take nothing for granted if they want a win.

The winner will travel to Columbus to take on the Crew in the fourth round. Will Indy get a first home win and get to visit the MLS side? We’ll find out tonight! Season ticket holders have a ticket to this game, as the previously-unassigned “Game 15” of our package. It’s also the US Soccer “Game of the Round”, so the match will be streamed live on ussoccer.com. But wouldn’t you rather see it live? With a Wednesday evening match, it’s likely that the stadium will have a few more empty seats than normal. Come on out to The Mike and see the first modern Indiana team take its place in the US Open Cup!

Other NASL Teams In Action

Seven other NASL teams will take the field in the cup, with three on the road. Check out the full previews on TheCup.us. (I understand why US Soccer is so focused on the World Cup, but it’s a shame that they can’t do a better job of supporting and promoting their own tournament. Their Schedule and Results page is still stuck in 2013. C’mon, guys!)

New York Cosmos vs Brooklyn Italians (NPSL)
(winner faces New York Red Bulls)

The matches against USL Pro teams take on a special edge with the recent competitiveness between the two leagues. Orlando vs Tampa Bay is a particular example with Orlando recently receiving a MLS expansion bid, while Carolina-Charlotte is a tasty North Carolina derby. Minnesota vs Des Moines is the third USOC matchup in a row between the two teams, and Des Moines upset United last year, so plenty of history in that matchup.

Other USOC 3rd-Round Matches

Here are the seven other games we’ll see tonight (16 total games, with Rochester winning last night):

Baltimore Bohemians (PDL) vs Harrisburg City Islanders (USL Pro)

Richmond Kickers (USL Pro) vs NY Greek American Atlas (USASA)

Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Pro) vs RWB Adria (USASA)

Charleston Battery (USL Pro) vs Orlando City U23s (PDL)

Arizona United SC (USL Pro) vs Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL Pro)

Sacramento Republic (USL Pro) vs Fresno Fuego (PDL)

LA Galaxy II (USL Pro) vs PSA Elite (USASA)

It’ll be an interesting night of action. Follow the action on Twitter with @USOpenCup and #USOC2014. Hope to see you at The Mike!

]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/usoc-md-3-preview/feed/0alameintwoLamar Hunt US Open Cup logoDayton Dutch Lions badgeNASL Week 7: Cosmos 1-1 Indy, and other resultshttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/wk7-nyc1-1ind/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/wk7-nyc1-1ind/#respondWed, 28 May 2014 04:11:51 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=414Continue reading →]]>Indy still hasn’t won. On the other hand, they broke a four-game losing streak and got a hard-fought point on the road against a title contender.

It wasn’t a cure for all that ails the Eleven, but it was a good step forward. Meanwhile, other results around the league keep the Spring title race wide open. It’s somewhat satisfying that Indy have affected the title race by stealing points on the road from a top team.

It’s a start.

New York Cosmos 1-1 Indy Eleven

The game started on an unfortunately familiar note, with a quick defensive lapse. Cosmos were ahead at 4′ thanks to Brad Guenzatti finishing off a Mads Stokkelien pass. With Indy playing one of the top NASL teams, going down by a goal so early was discouraging, and it left fans wondering if we’d see another grim road loss.

However, Indy stood strong, and in particular were better organized and more tenacious defensively. Cosmos may have been complacent, too. But Brad Ring stepped up to punish the home side at 76′, robbing Marcos Senna and driving in an excellent goal from the right. It was a well-deserved goal, and illustrated why Indy have yet to be shut out all year.

11thHeaven gets in a great tactical analysis of the game. What I’d add is that I think the team spent longer stretches of the game looking it they were playing with purpose and organization, rather than struggling to assert their will. It was by no means perfect, but it was as solid a performance as we’ve seen so far.

The Eleven will still be desperate for that first win, but this was a clear step in the right direction. Going on the road to draw at a top teams’ venue is a good accomplishment for a bottom-half team, and Indy can have a lot of pride in their accomplishment. We’ll see next whether they can build on the achievement. Indy will host the Dayton Dutch Lions of USL Pro on Wednesday, and will follow that with a home match against San Antonio on Saturday. Hopefully the team will build on this performance and get results both Wednesday and Saturday.

Other Games

Plenty of action this week, and in particular two very exciting games with teams challenging for the title. New York wasn’t the only team to suffer a late disappointment.

Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-2 Fort Lauderdale Strikers

In an entertaining and dramatic match, Tampa Bay fought back from 0-2 down to get a 3-2 win over ten-man Fort Lauderdale in the Florida Derby at Al Lang Stadium. Mark Anderson and Shawn Chin got the early goals for the Strikers, who led 0-2 by 34′, despite plenty of chances for Tampa Bay. The Rowdies also saw a penalty kick saved at 36′ when Georgi Hristov’s shot was saved by Oka Nikolov.

However, the game changed at 41′ when Carlos Salazar saw a second yellow and was sent off. With ten men, Fort Lauderdale faced wave after wave of Tampa Bay attacks, and defender Willie Hunt pulled the first goal back at 45′ with a towering header off Hristov’s corner kick. Anthony Wallace got the equalizer on a 30-yard rocket at 62′, and Blake Wagner created a great finish to win the match in stoppage time.

The exciting match also had serious Spring title implications, as Fort Lauderdale’s loss saw them fall behind Minnesota and New York despite both teams drawing. San Antonio also passed the Strikers with their win. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay rise to sixth on nine points.

Ottawa Fury 2-3 San Antonio Scorpions

[youtube:tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fv7bFP2gv4]

In another exciting match — though a disappointment for the home crowd — Ottawa fought back from 0-1 down against San Antonio, only to concede two late goals to lose the match 2-3. The scoreless first half belied the fireworks of the second.

San Antonio opened the scoring from a Danny Barrera corner kick at 57′. Greg Janicki rose highest and finished well with a header at the far post to open the scoring. Ottawa got their revenge at 70′, when Tony Donatelli coolly finished the penalty to even the score. Ottawa wasn’t done, and took the lead just ten minutes later. Sinisa Ubiparipovic finished with a slick curled shot to the far post after a backheel from Donatelli to give the home side the lead at 80′.

The Scorpions came storming back, and a tangle in the penalty area saw a PK awarded to the visitors at 83′. Eric Hassli finished well to even the score. The winner came four minutes into extra time, when Ottawa were unable to clear a San Antonio corner. Hassli sent a cross-shot back in, and Tomasz Zahorski put a header on it to get San Antonio’s third goal and break the Fury’s hearts.

San Antonio continues their late rise up the table, moving into third with 13 points, just behind New York on goal differential. Meanwhile Ottawa remain moored in 8th, just ahead of Edmonton and Indy.

Minnesota United FC 0-0 Carolina RailHawks

Minnesota couldn’t take advantage of their challengers’ slips, as they were unable to score in a 0-0 home draw with Carolina. The RailHawks faced plenty of pressure from United, and GK Akira Fitzgerald was named Player of the Week for his numerous crucial saves.

The disappointment was further compounded for Minnesota by injuries for Tiago Calvano and GK Matt van Oekel, and later for straight red cards shown to Cristiano Dias and Omar Daley at 86′ and 90′. With multiple players potentially missing for the weekend’s game against Atlanta, United might have a challenge to maintain their lead in the league. Carolina stay mid-table in fifth on 11 points, 5 behind the lead.

FC Edmonton 1-2 Atlanta Silverbacks

The final game of the night saw Atlanta get a 1-2 away win in Edmonton. Atlanta scored first at 49′ when Jamie Chavez collected the deflection from a Kwadwo Poku shot and put it home. Edmonton equalized at 75′, when Horace James scored on a clever backheeled flick from a floated free kick. But Atlanta scored the winner at 80′ when Poku held off the Edmonton back line on his own and put his open 10-yard shot home.

Edmonton have only Indy keeping them off the bottom of the table, while Atlanta stay seventh on nine points, behind Tampa Bay by four goals in differential.

Tale of the Table

P

Team

GP

W

T

L

GD

PTS

1

Minnesota United FC

7

5

1

1

6

16

2

New York Cosmos

7

4

1

2

7

13

3

San Antonio Scorpions

7

4

1

2

3

13

4

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

7

4

0

3

3

12

5

Carolina RailHawks

7

3

2

2

-1

11

6

Tampa Bay Rowdies

7

2

3

2

-3

9

7

Atlanta Silverbacks

7

3

0

4

-7

9

8

Ottawa Fury FC

7

2

1

4

1

7

9

FC Edmonton

7

1

2

4

-4

5

10

Indy Eleven

7

0

3

4

-5

3

Minnesota pass up the chance to widen their lead atop the table, but Indy’s draw with New York (plus Tampa Bay’s win over Fort Lauderdale) allow United to retain top spot and to maintain a three-point lead with only two games left. Cosmos and San Antonio stay within touching distance of the leaders, while Fort Lauderdale and Carolina fall out of the Spring title chase.

The bottom half of the table sees Tampa Bay and Atlanta pick up some key points, while Ottawa and Edmonton both lose to fall further behind. Indy stay bottom as honorary members of the Canadian club, though the point against New York put the Eleven in range to pass Edmonton next week.

Up Next

The NASL teams all have US Open Cup matches tomorrow, which I hope to preview if I can find some free time. But the league matches resume on Saturday, almost all at 7:30 Eastern time:

Saturday 31 May

Ottawa Fury FC vs FC Edmonton (7:00PM EDT)

Indy Eleven vs San Antonio Scorpions (7:30PM EDT)

Carolina RailHawks vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (7:30PM EDT)

Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs New York Cosmos (7:30PM EDT)

Atlanta Silverbacks vs Minnesota United FC (7:30PM EDT)

Minnesota will travel to Atlanta in their attempt to keep the league lead, while challengers New York and San Antonio travel to Fort Lauderdale and Indy, respectively. Atlanta haven’t been terribly impressive, though Minnesota might be short-handed with suspensions and injuries. San Antonio probably have the easier task with the visit to Indy, while Cosmos will have a real challenge with a Strikers team that’s still in the hunt.

The two other games, Ottawa-Edmonton and Carolina-Tampa Bay, won’t have title implications, but will be hard fought regardless, especially the latest edition of the Canadian rivalry.

Indy will have a tough task against a motivated San Antonio team, but hopefully the Eleven can continue the gritty performance they showed on Long Island last weekend. Come on you Eleven!

]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/wk7-nyc1-1ind/feed/0alameintwoCome on, you Boys in Blue!https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/24/coybib/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/24/coybib/#respondSat, 24 May 2014 21:01:06 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=412Continue reading →]]>Hi folks! Just a quick note to apologize for a lack of updates this week. Just too darn busy (plus a little dental work to brighten things a bit).

Last weekend was obviously a disappointment for the Eleven — and a good achievement for the Cosmos, as they went to Tampa and won 3-0 over the Rowdies. With New York in second place on 12 points, and with a league-best +7 goal differential, they’re the clear favorites in their home match with the Eleven. Still, soccer’s a funny sport, and Indy has played well enough (at times) to get a win over anyone.

I also had this thought this morning: building a soccer club is a funny thing. What I absolutely love to see is that the BYB — and the rest of the fans — are still engaged and still care about how the team does. It’d be understandable if they didn’t, but they do care. And that will build a better foundation for the team in the long-term, and when they do well… it’s going to be feel that much sweeter. Caring about the team through the lean times really gives us twice as much joy when they do well.

Maybe that starts today. Come on you Eleven! Let’s get that first win!

]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/24/coybib/feed/0alameintwoVersus: Ottawa Fury FChttps://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/versus-ottawa-fury-fc/
https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/versus-ottawa-fury-fc/#respondFri, 16 May 2014 17:02:39 +0000http://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/?p=399Continue reading →]]>That time of the week! We have another match coming up tomorrow, and this time we face our partner in the Class of 2014: Ottawa Fury FC.

The Fury are currently two spots above Indy in the table, with a 1-1-3 record. They’ve lost at home to Minnesota (1-2) and away to Fort Lauderdale (0-2) and Atlanta (1-2). Their impressive win came at home versus Carolina (4-0), and last week they drew with Tampa Bay (1-1). This puts them in 8th place, tied with Edmonton at four points but ahead on goal differential thanks to that Carolina win.

This will be a bit quicker than usual — because there’s not a lot of history to discuss just yet. But the Fury are an interesting comparison to Indy, so let’s take a look at what they’re aboot.*

*That’s how they talk in Canada, eh? #takeoffeh #bobanddougmckenzieforever

Ottawa Fury FC

History

Ottawa started play in the NASL this year, just like the Indy. However, unlike Indy, the team has a history before NASL promotion. The Fury were originally formed as a USL PDL team in 2005. The PDL (Premier Development League) is the fourth-level league in the US and Canada, behind MLS, NASL, and USL Pro — but was the third tier when the Fury were members. It’s the highest-level amateur league in the pyramid. They had nine seasons in the PDL, up to last year.

Ottawa’s 2014 season so far has to be considered in two pieces. The 4-0 win over Carolina is everything that Indy has lacked — a first home win, a shutout, and a clear dominance over a decent team. But Ottawa have only scored three goals in the other four games, while giving up seven. They’ve also played a home-and-away series with Edmonton in the ACC; they drew 0-0 at home but lost 1-3 in Edmonton. So other than Carolina, Ottawa have struggled. We’ll see which team we face on Saturday.

Roster

Ottawa are coached by Marc Dos Santos. He’s a Portugese-Canadian coach who’s held previous head coaching positions with Montreal Impact (including part of their NASL year) and the Trois-Rivières Attak. Most recently, he was technical director with Desportivo Brasil, before being named the first head coach for NASL-bound Ottawa.

The 2014 team has been fairly consistent. The Fury’s lead scorer in the NASL so far is Oliver. The young (21) Brazilian striker has two goals (both scored against Carolina) and an assist so far. He’s combined well with Tony Donatelli; the US midfielder has two assists and a goal, scored last week against Tampa Bay. The defense starts with goalkeeper Devala Gorrick, who’s played every match so far. Mason Trafford (a US-born Canadian) has been a fixture at CB, while Drew Beckie (Canadian) and Omar Jarun (Palestinian) have played key roles in the defense as well, and Irishman Richie Ryan has been mostly used in a defensive midfield role. Ottawa has played a 4-3-3 for the last few games, though they started the season with more of a 4-4-2.

Identity and Home Field

Ottawa’s colors are black and red. The home kit has black shorts and socks, and a black shirt with a red stripe down the middle. The away kit is mostly white: white socks with a red top, white shorts, and a half red/half white shirt, divided vertically.

The Fury are owned by Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), who manage the large sports facilities in the Ottawa and teams like the Redblacks of the CFL and the 67’s of the CHL. The supporters’ group are the Bytown Boys. Also check out Ours Is The Fury, the Fury podcast with the awesome name. (HODOR)

Currently, Ottawa are playing at Keith Harris stadium, a field turf stadium on the campus of Carleton University. It has a capacity of 3,044, and the team has drawn an average 0f 2,600 for its games so far. But Harris will only be used for the Spring season. The team will open its Fall season in TD Place Stadium, currently in the final stages of renovation. TD Place will hold 24,000 and will also be the home of the Redblacks; I’m sure the Fury will hope to increase their attendance in the new venue.

Prediction!

Ottawa have had one great game and four n0t-so-great games (though they played quite well in the draw with Tampa Bay). Unlike Indy, they’re seemingly getting stronger as the season progresses. I’m not going to issue a specific prediction this week — seems like it’s been bad luck in the past. But the key questions are whether Indy can start making adjustments, and whether Ottawa can play stronger on the road than they have yet. This might be the week for an Eleven win… but only if Indy play a smart, consistent, and mistake-free game. Do that, and I feel good about our chances.

But first, a quick mention about cup play. The US Open Cup second-round games were held yesterday. Of interest to Eleven fans is that the Dayton Dutch Lions won 2-0 over AC Schwaben. That means that Dayton will travel to Indianapolis for the May 28 third-round game. We should see news about that game later today. In other cup news, Edmonton took on Montreal in the ACC. The Eddies held on for 90 minutes, but lost 4-2 (5-4 on aggregate) on a stoppage-time penalty to go out of the cup. They’ll be gutted, but congratulations to Edmonton for taking the MLS side to the limit.

But, back to week 5 results. The Spring season is now past halfway, and the race is starting to take shape. Fort Lauderdale take over the top spot, San Antonio take a big step forward, and Cosmos get back on track. Minnesota and Carolina suffer setbacks. Let’s get to it.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers 4-0 Atlanta Silverbacks

Atlanta took a trip to Fort Lauderdale and were soundly beaten by the Strikers, who are on a three-game winning run. The 4-0 victory was fairly comprehensive, and while the Silverbacks did get some chances, they never looked likely to make it a contest. Martin Nunez opened the scoring at 23′ for his third goal in the last three games. Mark Anderson scored the second at 50′ off a throw-in from Ivan Guerrero. The match was sealed at 73′ when Atlanta’s Alex Harlley saw red for a hard tackle on Anderson. Anderson was taken off with an ankle injury — particularly frustrating for the English midfielder as he was just recovering his form after being injured for most of 2013.

With the man advantage, Fort Lauderdale were unlikely to give up their lead. Atlanta fought for a goal, but Carols Salazar added a third goal for the Strikers at 84′ from a free kick, and Fafa Picault sealed the win with a fourth goal off a penalty in stoppage time. The four-goal advantage was crucial for Fort Lauderdale, as they’re tied on points with Minnesota for the league lead, holding first only due to a 6 vs 4 advantage in goal differential. Atlanta falls behind Tampa Bay in the standings, also due to goal differential.

New York Cosmos 1-0 Minnesota United FC

The Monday game saw Minnesota make the trip to Long Island to take on the faltering Cosmos. The game didn’t disappoint, and while Minnesota had some decent chances, it came down to a beautiful Marcos Senna goal that gave Cosmos the win and sent United to their first loss of the season. The game was cagey and neither team wanted to make mistakes. Matt Van Oekel was called into action to save a few early New York attempts, but the game remained a fairly tight affair until 61′. That’s when Marcos Senna collected a deep corner outside the box, just wide of the far post. His first touch was perfect, and his swerving shot found the far corner past a rooted Matt Van Oekel. It’s a beautiful goal and a definite Play of the Week contender. With Minnesota forced to attack, the game opened up a bit, and both teams had chances. United built pressure through the latter stages of the game, but were unable to craft a clear chance, and Cosmos held on for the win.

San Antonio Scorpions 3-0 Carolina RailHawks

San Antonio gathered a comprehensive 3-0 win over Carolina at Toyota Field. After a fairly quiet first half, the Scorpions opened the scoring at 50′, when Billy Forbes cross was turned into the net by Eric Hassli. Forbes gathered his second assist at 59′, when another cross was headed home by Danny Barrera. Tomasz Zahorski scored the third goal for San Antonio on a penalty kick. Forbes was in his debut match for the Scorpions — he had trained with the team in preseason, but returned to college to finish his studies. He was brought on at halftime, and created two goals for San Antonio. Not bad!

The win takes San Antonio to fourth in the table, passing the RailHawks. Carolina might be the most difficult team to figure out this year; they’ve given Fort Lauderdale their only loss in a 4-1 beating, but now have lost 3-0 and 4-0 (to 8th-place Ottawa) on the road. San Antonio have lost twice at home, but won twice on the road; they’ll be visiting Indy on May 31.

Ottawa Fury FC 1-1 Tampa Bay Rowdies

Ottawa and Tampa Bay played to a 1-1 draw in an entertaining match in the Canadian capital. Early chances came to both sides, with Georgi Hristov hitting the bar for Tampa Bay at 15′, and Tony Donatelli putting a 25-yard free kick barely wide for Ottawa at 20′. Ottawa had an even better chance at 23′ when Frankie Sanfilippo handled the ball in the box. Ottawa’s penalty was taken by Oliver, but his PK, taken hard to the right, was well saved by Matt Pickens in a Play of the Week contender.

Tampa Bay got their own chance at a PK just three minutes later. Rowdies forward Lucky Mkosana was pulled back in the box by Omar Jarun. Hristov stepped up to take the penalty, and sent Fury keeper Devala Gorrick the wrong way. Ottawa responded well, and their mounting pressure finally told at 37′ when Ritchie Ryan’s corner was sent home at the far post by Donatelli. The second half saw chances for both sides, and both Pickens and Gorrick were called to make key saves. But Tampa Bay held on for the 1-1 road draw.

Tale of the Table

P

Team

GP

W

T

L

GD

PTS

1

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

5

4

0

1

6

12

2

Minnesota United FC

5

4

0

1

4

12

3

New York Cosmos

5

3

0

2

4

9

4

San Antonio Scorpions

5

3

0

2

2

9

5

Carolina RailHawks

5

2

1

2

-3

7

6

Tampa Bay Rowdies

5

1

3

1

-1

6

7

Atlanta Silverbacks

5

2

0

3

-6

6

8

Ottawa Fury FC

5

1

1

3

0

4

9

FC Edmonton

5

1

1

3

-3

4

10

Indy Eleven

5

0

2

3

-3

2

The win for Fort Lauderdale, combined with the Minnesota loss, sees the two teams sitting at 12 points each on a 4-0-1 record. The Strikers take over top spot on goal differential. Cosmos and San Antonio both get a win to advance to nine points to remain within reach of the top two teams, forming a top-table Contenders group.

The mid-table Hopefuls group starts with the RailHawks. Their loss in San Antonio puts them behind the leaders (for now, at least). Tampa Bay’s single point is unable to break them free from mid-table, and Atlanta’s loss sees them drop back even with the Rowdies. These three teams aren’t quite in contention, but they’re close enough that a couple good results could bring them into the fight.

The bottom of the table is, sadly, more relevant for Indy fans. Winless Indy falls to the floor, with two points from five games. Edmonton passes the Eleven, and only its worse goal differential separates the Eddies from the Fury in 8th place. Indy falls to the bottom of the table, the only winless team in the NASL. These three teams aren’t quite mathematically eliminated yet, but they’re at the point when the goals become amassing points for playoff spots and making plans for the Fall season.

The good news is that there’s a lot of points still on offer. It’s pretty much too late for Indy to make a run at the Spring title, but a climb now would help a great deal with a run for a playoff spot in October. The league has remained quite competitive, and the Spring run-in should be quite interesting.

Up Next

We have another Saturday with five evening games, all kicking off within a one-hour window.

Saturday 17 May

Indy Eleven vs Ottawa Fury FC (7:30PM EDT)

Carolina RailHawks vs Atlanta Silverbacks (7:30PM EDT)

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs New York Cosmos (7:30PM EDT)

Minnesota United FC vs Fort Lauderdale Strikers (8:00PM EDT)

San Antonio Scorpions vs FC Edmonton (8:30PM EDT)

The key matchup is obviously Fort Lauderdale’s visit to Minnesota. The Strikers will look to cement their lead, while United will be fighting to correct last week’s result and regain control of the table. Both teams will want all three points, with New York and San Antonio so close behind.

Cosmos will look for a win in their visit to Tampa Bay, while San Antonio will host a visiting Edmonton team on their third consecutive road game and their fourth game in two weeks. We’ll also see a mid-table clash when Carolina host Atlanta; both teams know that a loss might well see them fall out of contention.

Indy has another winnable game — though of course nothing can be taken for granted. Ottawa’s 4-0 home win over Carolina is certainly laudable, but otherwise they’re 0-1-3, and have averaged a score of 0.75-1.75 in those four games. Indy will attempt to climb out of the cellar, while Ottawa will have hopes of advancing as either Carolina or Atlanta are sure to drop points.

I’ve used the refrain “Mondays after a loss suck” three weeks in a row now, and it’s no less true. We were all hoping for a home milestone for the Eleven on Saturday, but “first home loss” wasn’t the one we wanted. What’s most frustrating is that Edmonton were a very beatable team, and while they weren’t terribly good, the Eleven were worse.

The other results were plenty interesting, and the Spring season as a whole looks to be heating up as we pass halfway. But the Eleven aren’t anywhere close to the mix for the Spring, and right now, it’s hard to see any way we’ll be in the playoff picture. All we can do at this point is keep fighting one game at a time and work hard for that elusive first win.

The Night

Before discussing the game, I want to talk about the best parts of the evening. It was another beautiful night at The Mike, with another sellout crowd of over 10,000. Indy is on a pace to have the best attendance in the NASL since Montreal in 2011 — now playing in MLS, of course. The stadium experience, good to start with, continues to get better, and logistics are smoothing out with every game. My wife and I got to the game early, grabbed some food truck food, and relaxed with the other tailgaters. It was a fun time and we were in high spirits for the game.

The crowd was active and attentive as always. The BYB was in fine voice, singing throughout the game as usual. When Indy went behind, the crowd got behind the team in great voice. “I Believe That We Will Win” is becoming a familiar chant. Even better, fans in the main stand are starting to pick up the chants too. Indy is quickly building itself into a soccer town; there are still those who doubt, but those filling Carroll Stadium aren’t among them.

So, a great night. Except for one detail.

Indy Eleven 1-2 FC Edmonton

The first part of the game had a real back-and-forth to it, but Indy were more or less holding their own. We knew going in that Edmonton were going to be difficult to break down; the consolation was that they have a hard time scoring goals. If we’re going to gift them two goals — when they’re on the road — they’re going to shut down the game and play to their strengths. Refusing to concede had to be at the heart of our gameplan, and we blew it up in the first 25 minutes.

24′: Jamie Frias attempts a back-pass but plays Daryl Fordyce in on goal for Edmonton’s first.

The first goal came right after a legit Indy penalty shout, when Kareem Moses handled the ball in the box on a long free kick from Jamie Frias. Instead, the ref called Pedro Mendes for a foul that I don’t see on the replay. Regardless, Edmonton took the kick quickly and played up into Indy’s left channel. Indy defended well and broke up the attack… but when a pass from (I think) Dylan Mares came his way, Frias made the worst possible choice in attempting to play the ball back to… Kristian Nicht? I have no idea what he intended. The ball came to Frias after a series of not-great decisions on playing the ball out from defense, but still he needed to do better. Instead, he played it directly into the path of Daryl Fordyce, who was instantly one on one with Nicht. A simple finish put the ball in the far corner, and Indy were down by one. A pure gift from the Eleven.

26′: The ball falls to Kareem Moses from a corner kick, and the defender finishes easily. 2-0.

Indy was rocked by the simple goal, and got hammered again on the very next Edmonton possession. Sloppy passing in the Indy attack gave the ball to Edmonton and they played it upfield with a series of quick passes. The ball came to an undefended Mike Banner on the left wing, and he lofted in an excellent early cross that gave Kyle Hyland little choice but to play it out for a corner. The corner came in short to the near post, but Edmonton easily moved the ball around within the penalty box. When it fell to Moses, with Nicht already grounded, he had a fairly simple finish to put Edmonton up 2-0. It was a collective defensive failure by Indy on a rather routine corner; Edmonton did well but there’s no way a defense should allow so many unchallenged looks inside the box without at least an attempt at a clearance.

The early lead was a serious mountain for Indy to climb, but they pulled the first goal back just three minutes later. Indy won a free kick on the left side, 40 yards from goal. Walter Ramirez’s excellent kick found Mike Ambersley at about twelve yards from goal, and his header deflected off Mallan Roberts into the net. A bit lucky, yes, but it came from good pressure and a dangerous free kick.

Indy kept up the pressure for the next 60 minutes, but to no avail. NASL.com reports 54% possession overall for Indy, but the stats for the last 60 minutes had to be far more lopsided, as Indy brought attack after attack with very little threat from Edmonton. That was by design, though, as Edmonton parked behind the ball and allowed Indy to do what it liked outside about 35 yards from goal. This is where Indy’s second weakness came in — a lack of creative ability to break down a dogged, packed defense. Indy wisely adjusted later in the second half to invite Edmonton further upfield, and it created a few more opportunities. But the Eddies remained diligent, and the Eleven weren’t able to create any gilt-edged chances. The best chance, perhaps, was an indirect free kick inside the penalty area, but like the other attacks, it fizzled out harmlessly. Indy fought to the end, but the score remained 1-2 and Indy set the dubious milestone of its first home loss.

There’s no excuse for two foolish defensive lapses within two minutes of each other. It’s made worse though by the opponents. Edmonton were the team with the worst offense in the NASL — but the best defense. If you gift them two goals, on the road, you’re giving them exactly the scenario they hope for. Indy had to know this. They had to know that the first rule was “don’t give them an easy goal.” And yet, we see what happened. Edmonton played like an outmatched team — throwing themselves to the ground, delaying the game, arguing every minor foul. What else could Indy expect? A team with no wins and a lead; a team with only two goals in four games; a team on the road — of course they’ll seize every advantage. Whatever else they are, Edmonton aren’t naive. I can’t say the same about Indy. “It was a pleasure to play here and in front of this crowd,” said Eddies coach Colin Miller. I know it was a compliment on the experience at Carroll… but I’d much rather have a coach leave feeling bitter and petty rather than magnanimous.

What Next?

The good news is that Indy get another decent chance for a win next weekend. They’ll be home again — this time to the other Canadian team, the newly-minted Ottawa Fury. I’ll summarize the rest of the games later — I’m watching Cosmos vs Minnesota as I write — but Ottawa got a draw against Tampa Bay on Saturday and sit in 8th, with four points to Indy’s two. A win would at minimum see Indy climb off the bottom rung of the table. At this point though, it’d mean even more. That elusive first win would unlock some confidence in the team, and it’s needed.

Indy need to solve some problems, and quickly. It’s maybe not a surprise that the team needs a few games to gel. What’s frustrating is that they’re making the same mistakes as in the first few weeks. Soft passes, easily intercepted. Lack of communication and ideas in the attack. Lots of long, hopeful balls from the defense — caused often by a lack of options through the middle of the field. Bad decisions under pressure. These are solvable problems. There are positive signs: Indy is scoring decently (better than half the league) and haven’t been shut out yet. They have energy and can be creative, and they can win on set pieces. These are building blocks.

Now let’s build. Forth the Eleven!

]]>https://elevenbricks.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/ind1-2edm/feed/0alameintwoJamie Frias attempts a back-pass but plays Daryl Fordyce in on goal for Edmonton's first.The ball falls to Kareem Moses from a corner kick, and the defender finishes easily. 2-0.